Recent Paradigms in China’s Relations with India’s other neighbours and their implications
This article presents an overview of recent trends in China’s relations with India’s four other neighbours viz. Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka; and their possible implications for the country.
China-Bangladesh Cooperation
As we know, there are no permanent friends or foes but there are only permanent interests in international relations. This saying proves to be true about India-Bangladesh relations. Bangladesh was carved out from India in 1947 as a part of Pakistan but when Pakistanis were torturing and exploiting the Bangladeshis, India came to their rescue, helping Bangladesh to achieve independence from the hands of Pakistan and a new country was born in 1971 with the name “People’s Republic of Bangladesh”.
Though China had close relations with Pakistan, but it was against the independence of Bangladesh and agreed to it only in August 1975 after Pakistan recognizing it in June 1974. However, now China is providing military aid, training and several infrastructural projects in Bangladesh. China wanted to encircle India and is well aware of the strategic importance of Bangladesh, that’s why it had inculcated close relations with it. A bilateral agreement in 1976 was signed by both of them, and later high level visits were exchanged. They also signed agreements on defence cooperation in 2002 and 2004. The defence agreements made China the important supplier of arms, ammunition and equipment provider to Bangladesh. In 2005, then Chinese premier made an official visit to Bangladesh and signed nine agreements, and 2005 was thereafter declared as ‘China- Bangladesh Friendship Year’. Direct air links were established between Beijing and Dhaka, more agreements were signed on nuclear cooperation and space programme; China also helped Bangladesh in constructing a fertilizer factory, mining of coal and even funded for several highways and railway links in Bangladesh. China surpassed India and became the biggest trading partner of Bangladesh and China was even more keen to develop close relationship with defence and security forces of Bangladesh; therefore it started with quite a few training courses for security forces of the country. It wanted to build up a maritime corridor from South China to Bay of Bengal in order to reduce its dependence on the Malacca Straits.
Implication of China-Bangladesh Cooperation On India
Although Bangladeshi leaders are trying to ensure India that their relationship with China is not against any country but the policy makers of India are aware of the ill mindedness of China which is constantly supporting India’s neighbour’s and wanted to encircle the country with an ulterior motive. China has developed several ports in the neighbouring countries of India, like the Gwadar port in Pakistan, Hambantota in Sri Lanka, Chittagong in Bangladesh, it also has access to Hanggvi naval base of Myanmar. Besides this. China also developed close diplomatic and defence relationship withMauritius and is doing large scale land reclamation in the Spratly Islands and increasing its existence in the Paracel Islands to improve its influence in South China Sea. Hence China has encircled India and even its navy has got access to various sea points. It is prime time that India should try resolving its differences with Bangladesh and should understand the impact of help offered in 1971 is not effective till now. Both the countries shall negotiate and come to a solution for its problems like border dispute, water sharing, illegal migration, usage of Bangladeshi soil by ISI for smuggling of IFCN, drugs, arms and transferring of terrorists to India. There are several untouched options where the trade between both the countries can be improved. India shall try encouraging the younger generation of Bangladesh to avail the education, health and economic facilities of India. Communication should be enhanced as it will clear several misconceptions against each other. Sincere efforts should be made formalizing trade between both the countries. In fact informal trade is more than the formal trade and by including formal and informal trade it will be more than just the trade between Bangladesh and China. India must use the close cultural, linguistic and social ties between both them.
China-Nepal Cooperation
Three multilateral conferences have been held recently. First, was the postponement of the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit that was previously decided to be held in Islamabad on November 15-16. Second was the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa summit which was held at Goa, and lastly the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation leaders’ meetings which was held with the BRICS leaders. After pointing out the connectivity China and Nepal by rivers and mountains, Xi. It called for efforts to carry out consensuses that both the sides have reached on after beefing up cooperation on connectivity, free trade and energy and continuing to push forward cooperation in their pursuit of development, China is ready to support Nepal for its post-earthquake reconstruction, specially restoring infrastructure, people’s well-being and historical relics.
Implication of China-Nepal Cooperation On India
China-Nepal relations have both political and strategic consequences for India. India, of course will be happier if Nepal pays it more attention than what it does to China. Indeed, that’s always the case, but India wants more. For all India’s small neighbours, including Nepal the diplomatic trump in which India is their China card which they have learnt to show off whenever they feel the need of neutralising India’s “over-lordship”. This is a tension which is the permanent fixture in India’s neighbourhood diplomacy. China making much inroads to Nepal is something even Indian authorities have acknowledged. Something that divides the Indian response is whether the construction is at the cost of India’s image, influence and interest in its crucially important neighbourhood. Indian immigration, has already started “stamping” Nepali passports at airports, affecting the spirit of open boarders and hassle-free movement which took place all these years. The relation is losing the much talked “special” component. Both the sides have hardly begun any exercise to address the misunderstandings and the visible breaks.
China-Myanmar Cooperation
China and Myanmar have active bilateral relations with each other. China is the most important provider of military aid and maintains strategically and military cooperation. Since 1989, China has supplied Burma with jet fighter planes, armoured vehicles and naval vessels and gave training to Burmese army, air force and naval officials. Access to Burma’s ports and naval installations provided China with strategic influence in the Bay of Bengal, even in the broader Indian Ocean region and in the Southeast Asia. China has developed a deep-water port at Kyaukpyu in the Bay of Bengal. It has built an 85-metre jetty, naval facilities and major reconnaissance and electrical intelligence systems on the Great Coco Island, located 18 kilometres away from India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, giving China chance to monitor India’s military activities, including missile tests. The building of intelligence systems on the island is regarded as a myth today and the Indian forces recently denied their existence. China assists in constructing a naval base at Sittwe, a strategically important sea port closer to the eastern India’s largest city and port, Kolkata. Beijing also funded road construction linking Yangon and Sittwe, providing the shortest possible route from the Indian Ocean to Southern China.
Implication of China-Myanmar Cooperation On India
According to a Chinese think tank, India is “cozying up” with Myanmar because it is already threatened by the growing strategic ties between China and Myanmar.
The Shanghai-based Chinese think-tank acknowledged the fact that India had less barriers in building its relations with Myanmar when compared to China, which was strongly backed its erstwhile military junta. Zhao Gancheng, the director of Centre for Asia-Pacific Studies, Shanghai Institute for International Studies, stated that no matter how fiercely India and China compete to wield influence in the country, Myanmar will always maintain neutrality to gain the maximum benefits.
China-Sri Lanka Cooperation
Relations between India and Sri Lanka has generally been friendly, but was full of controversy due to the Srilankan Civil War and the failure of Indian involvement during the war. India is the only neighbour of Sri Lanka, which is separated by the Palk Straitin which both the nations occupy a strategic position in South Asia and have sought to build a common security cover in the Indian Ocean. Historically and culturally, two nations have been considerably close, with 70% of Sri Lankans continuing to follow Theravada Buddhism till today.In recent years Sri Lanka have moved closer to China, particularly in terms of naval agreements.
Implication of China-Sri Lanka Cooperation On India
After tense ties during the Rajapaksha administration, newly elected Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to visit India during his first overseas trip shows a renewal in the India–Sri Lanka relationship. Srilankan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed four significant agreements, all of them are expected to play important role in further strengthening India–Sri Lankan relations. Most important was that both the countries promised to cooperate on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Since 2010 Sri Lankan government has used nuclear energy for medical and agricultural purposes. The recent agreement focused on knowledge and resource sharing, training in the peaceful use of nuclear energy and cooperation in radioactive waste management and mitigating the potential for disasters. The two countries also signed agreement on cultural relations. This agreement planned for 2015–18 envisaging enhancement of cooperation in variety of fields including performing arts, libraries, archives and documentation, publications, etc. The fisherman issue between India and Sri Lanka was also discussed during the visit. Issue of ethnicity, were discussed the efforts of the Sri Lankan government to regain friendly ties with ethnic Tamil people.
